What do you picture when you think of Switzerland? Probably snowy, craggy mountain tops, embroidered dirndl skirts like the children wore in The Sound of Music, shaggy mountain goats, cuckoo clocks and of course, wedges of holey cheese. You probably don’t associate Switzerland with horse racing. But, every year on three consecutive Sundays in February Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds, Arabians and and international mix of European jockeys and race drivers meet to contest their speed and daring across on the snowy tracks of St. Moritz, the home of the first Olympic winter games.
The seed to today’s White Turf Race was planted back in 1906 when a few brave souls raced between St. Moritz and the town of Champfèr, standing on skis and harnessed to their galloping horses. The almost 10 km (6 mile) trip took the winning team just over 20 minutes. The event, called ski joering, was moved to a track built on the frozen St. Moritz lake, and all teams started at once, rather than staggering the contestants like in the first race. So risky are the races, especially at the start that there have been past events where no human crossed the finish line. Equipment has become standardized, slightly reducing the dangers to both horse and human contestant. Despite this, contestants are still called foolhardy and daring.
The event ran until World War II. In 1952, it was reincarnated, and since then has become a showcase for all that is prestigious and a melding of alpine and equestrian sports. The event grew, and flat racing, harness racing and even steeplechasing were added to the roster. The harness races look familiar, but wheels are replaced with wide ski-like runners. Flat racing also takes place on the snow covered ice of the lake. And no worries about the ice. The thickness in February reaches close to two feet (60cm), quite thick enough to hold up for the event. Both Thoroughbreds and Arabians have races. The steeplechase, or hurdles feature obstacles much lower than usually seen in turf racing. The purses for the races are substantial and the overall winner of the ski joering races is crowned King of Engadine.
People come from around the world, not only for the spectacular sights of horses plunging through the snow over the frozen expanse of St. Moritz Lake, but for the many non-equestrian events taking place in conjunction with the races. Jazz festivals, children’s activities, rugby matches in the snow, art exhibitions and gourmet cuisine round out the experience for locals and tourists.
Preparation of the track includes being sure that it is as safe as possible. And, although in the early days, one horse might be used for more than one type of competition, the horses are trained especially for these events. In the harness races, trotters rather than pacers are raced. The types of shoes worn by the horses is strictly regulated and designed for safety and grip.
If you feel like mixing with the rich and toni, mark your calendar and book your flight for next February. The 2017 White Turf Races are scheduled for February 12, 19 and 26.
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